Published: Wednesday, October 23, 2013 at 02:20 PM.

Jeff Ruggieri, director of Development Services, presented the amendments and the addition of a definition for intensity of residential and nonresidential development to aid the city when issuing permits.

“Intensity of developments is talked about a lot, but we really don’t define it,” Ruggieri said.

The definition says intensity of residential units will be determined by density and nonresidential development will be determined by square feet. Other factors include required parking and traffic, building size, the number of employees or patrons and nuisances, such as noises.

The definition of intensity points to the obvious — it increases from a forest setting to single-family housing, multi-family housing to offices, commercial and up to industrial development with the most intensity, according to the amendments.

A section on changing or modifying permits also was amended to include: “increases in density or intensity of use shall be considered major changes and shall” be processed as new applications. An example would be the addition of lots to a development. That would now be considered major modifications, Ruggieri said.

Jeff Ruggieri, director of Development Services, presented the amendments and the addition of a definition for intensity of residential and nonresidential development to aid the city when issuing permits.

“Intensity of developments is talked about a lot, but we really don’t define it,” Ruggieri said.

The definition says intensity of residential units will be determined by density and nonresidential development will be determined by square feet. Other factors include required parking and traffic, building size, the number of employees or patrons and nuisances, such as noises.

The definition of intensity points to the obvious — it increases from a forest setting to single-family housing, multi-family housing to offices, commercial and up to industrial development with the most intensity, according to the amendments.

A section on changing or modifying permits also was amended to include: “increases in density or intensity of use shall be considered major changes and shall” be processed as new applications. An example would be the addition of lots to a development. That would now be considered major modifications, Ruggieri said.

The city ordinance also changes the definition of major renovations to nonconforming situations to say work done over any period of time of less than five years with an estimated cost of more than 50 percent of the structure’s appraised value prior to damage and/or renovation, may be done only in accordance with a zoning permit.

Prior to the change, a zoning permit was needed when the estimated cost of the work was 75 percent of the appraised value of the structure and there was no limit on the number of years it took.

Ruggieri said the 75 percent was not typical in other cities.

Other amendments exclude section 15-126 of the land use ordinance to remove changing the use of property in a nonconforming situation to a less intense, nonconforming use; and striking the $200 filing fee for zoning map amendment applications to say the filing fee will be determined by the Board of Aldermen when it sets schedules of fees and charges.

Another change targets site plans for developments by requiring a boundary survey for all non-single-family development plans in commercial corridor districts by a registered surveyor.

The final amendment prohibits florescent colors and limits black and metallic colors to only 25 percent of building exteriors in commercial corridor districts. That regulation excludes single-family and two-family dwellings.

Alderman Sabrina Bengel asked Ruggieri if colors on commercial buildings have ever been an issue in New Bern.

“No, but it could be an issue,” he said.

Outlaw also asked if the amendments on renovations would affect work being done at the old railroad depot. Ruggieri said no and those amendments really do not target new construction but older structures that are not in compliance.

When Outlaw opposed the vote on the amendments, Bengel asked why he was opposed. When he didn’t answer, she kept asking him. Mayor Lee Bettis moved the meeting along, saying they were not going to get into a debate.

Eddie Fitzgerald can be reached at 252-635-5675 or at eddie.fitzgerald@newbernsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @staffwriter3.